Artwork
Narcissus Looking in the Water
Narcissus Looking in the Water is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jacques Callot’s 1628 print, titled Narcissus Looking in the Water, is an etching executed on laid paper. The image presents a solitary male figure bent over a shallow pool, absorbed in the sight of his own reflection, while a modest landscape of trees and distant hills recedes behind him. The composition is rendered in stark monochrome, emphasizing line and texture over colour.
Subject & Meaning
The work draws on the classical myth of Narcissus, a youth who fell in love with his own image. By isolating the figure in a quiet natural setting, Callot invites contemplation of self‑obsession and the fleeting nature of beauty. The surrounding scenery, rendered with minimal detail, serves to frame the introspective moment without distracting from the central act of gazing.
Technique & Style
The resulting marks are fine and intricate, especially evident in the folds of the figure’s clothing and the rippling water surface.
Callot employed traditional etching, incising a copper plate with a needle and then exposing it to acid to bite the lines. The resulting marks are fine and intricate, especially evident in the folds of the figure’s clothing and the rippling water surface. His characteristic precision and the slightly rough quality of the lines reflect the early Baroque emphasis on detailed observation and controlled draughtsmanship.
History & Provenance
Created while Callot was active in the Duchy of Lorraine, the print belongs to a prolific period in which he produced over a thousand images covering myth, religion, and contemporary life. Narcissus Looking in the Water exemplifies his interest in classical subjects alongside his broader documentary approach. The print has circulated among collectors of early modern prints and is documented in several museum collections specializing in Baroque graphic art.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacques Callot (French: ; c. 1592 – 1635) was a baroque printmaker and draftsman from the Duchy of Lorraine. He is an important person in the development of the old master print. He made more than 1,400 etchings that…
Holy Family at supper
Restoration of the Aqueduct at Pisa
Restoration of the Aqueduct at Pisa
Square in Paris with Many Figures
Square in Paris with Many Figures
Horsemen Attacked by Robbers
HOW WILL A COVERED PART BE CORRECTED?HOW WIKA A COVERED HEART DEED CORRECTED?![Christ Walking on the Water [second plate], by Jacques Callot](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/jacques-callot--christ-walking-on-the-water-second-plate--2069f3bfe4cb2126-w320.webp)
Christ Walking on the Water [second plate]
